How Your Business and Your Employees Can Stress Less

August 29, 2018

By Jason EisenbergCommunity Program Manager for Office Depot

When the boss is stressed, bet that most of their employees are too.

About a decade or so ago, the phrase ‘going to work’ had negative connotations to it. To me, it just felt more stressed back then. Maybe it had to do with the archaic forms of employee monitoring for efficiency or the long hours in a cubicle sitting under fluorescent lights (hopefully you’re doing away with these old strategies). But more than most, the source of work stress comes from the top of the hierarchical chain.

You may or may not know that stress can really hurt your business. It can reduce productivity, create unhealthy workplace relations, produce a high staff turnover rate… the list goes on. You want you and your employees happy. [Coggno]

You’re the owner, manager and supervisor of your business. Who am I to tell you that you’re stressed out? It’s not really me telling you that – it’s entrepreneurs everywhere. The sheer nature of starting and/or running a business is stressful – especially if you’re setting out on your own for the first, second, or even fifth time. A great piece called, The Psychological Price of Entrepreneurship confronts the fake it ‘til you make it culture, saying most founders put on a strong face while, “…entrepreneurs often juggle many roles and face countless setbacks.” [INC]

Maybe you’re a very good juggler and can handle it. But consider this. A lot of new entrepreneurs are usually in startup mode, meaning they push themselves harder than average – neglecting healthy habits such as sleep, exercise, food intake (too much or too little). Lack of sleep, hunger or feeling lethargic in general can sway your mood in an instant – ever been accused of being ‘hangry’? It’s infuriating…

So now you know that you, the entrepreneur, might be the root of work-related stress in your business. The easiest way to relieve stress as a business owner?

Automation and subscriptions.

Having too much of a workload and not enough time to do it is the one of the top offenders for workplace stress, according to The American Institute of Stress. Sound familiar? Do you look at your days like I do? Columns of blocks of time on your calendar with maybe 15 minutes to get to your next block of time? One of the best time savers, for business and personal life, is signing up for subscriptions of what you know you’ll need on a routine basis. That leaves another item you don’t have to constantly remind yourself to do. A few perks worth noting here:

You won’t run out of specific supplies you always need.

Subscription-based purchases generally save you money (10% off for many cases).

Set your subscription(s) and don’t think twice about it until you need to change it.

Office Depot offers subscription services for your business so you don’t have to make a random supply run at 9:27am before the staff meeting. By the way, we’re not just talking office supplies! Office Depot can load up your break room with snacks, water, coffee, trash bags and more. If you have kids in college, you can also send them subscription boxes of snacks and beverages (to make sure they’re drinking enough water!).

24/7 Services

Another key component to work stress includes dealing with technical errors because, for some reason, it always seems to happen right before a project is due. Have peace of mind with affordable 24/7 computer and network monitoring for your business.

About the AuthorJason Eisenberg is the Community Program Manager for Office Depot, specializing in small business and entrepreneurship. Based out of one of the most exciting cities for startups – Austin, TX – Jason is plugged into the business community, often connecting with thought leaders, entrepreneurs and strategists to help identify and find solutions to common pain points all business owners share.

To join our high-level discussions, check out our free online community where you’ll have access to live Q&As, featured #DepotBizChats, and the knowledge our members possess.

All content provided herein is for educational purposes only. It is provided “as is” and neither the author nor Office Depot, Inc. warrant the accuracy of the information provided, nor do they assume any responsibility for errors, omissions or contrary interpretation of the subject matter herein.

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